Karate Kid: From the Other Side
by SelfishDisingenuity
Summary: "I want her hand." "Well, then, Cheng, as her father, and your master, you'll have to fight for it!"
1. Chapter 1

_**The Karate Kid: From the Other Side**_

**Rating:** T.

**Summary:** "I want her hand." "Well, then, Cheng, as her father, and your master, you'll have to fight for it!"

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, except for Meihui.

**A.N.:**

-_Italics -_ Someone speaking in Chinese, or to illustrate a sound effect

-Normal - Someone speaking in English, or just normal sentences if not used during speech

-**Bold** - used for emphasis on something

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

Cheng wraps an arm around my waist, lifting me off the air and kissing me on the lips. "_I love you_," he whispers in my ear, running a hand along my curled, black locks.

"_You don't mean it_," I reply blushingly, my eyes trained on the ground.

"_Awww_!" one of his friends laughs. He and another start making kissy-kissy motions.

Cheng releases me, and my feet hit the ground with a thump. "_Look at the new boy_," he laughs.

An African American boy is talking to my best friend, Meiying, and she is laughing. He is dancing weirdly. He then stops and asks Meiying a question. He leans forward, and she touches his hair.

My eyes narrow. "_He is hindering her practice_."

Cheng stops laughing. "_Right. I'll go knock him in his place_."

He stalks over and says, "_You should be practicing_."

"_I __**am**__ practicing_," she answers.

"_Then, with what you're doing, you won't need these_." He slaps the sheet music out of her hands.

"_What's your problem?_" Meiying demands.

The new boy from America stoops down to gather up the papers.

"Leave it," Cheng orders.

"Cheng!" I exclaim.

Meiying and Cheng continue to argue, and the boy tries to give Meiying her papers back. Cheng slaps them out of his hands. "Come on, dude!" the African American says.

The new kid picks up the papers and tries once more to give the sheets back to Meiying. Cheng moves to smack them out of his hands again, but he moves his hand fast, and Cheng hits the air where the papers used to be.

My boyfriend grabs the new boy by the face and shoulder and slams him into the ground.

"Stop!" I say.

A boy called Harry stands up. It is obvious he is afraid.

"_Cheng_," I murmur. I lean forward to grab his arm. "_The boy does not know of your wealth, authority, and status. Leave him. He is not worth it._"

"No!" he says indignantly. "He deserves this. And look at him! He still wants to fight!" He laughs.

The boy stands up, holding his fists in front of him as if he were to throw a punch.

The boy still keeps his stance, circling Cheng.

Cheng grins. "_He's not gonna back down. The pathetic fool_."

I surge forward to stop him, but his friend Liang blocks my path.

The boy charges, and Cheng stoops low and stretches his leg out, kicking the boy's feet from out of under him as he trips. Meiying and I give out a cry. "Stop!"

Cheng brushes the imaginary dirt from his hands. I push past Liang and grasp his arms, holding him close. "_Please stop. If you really love me, stop_!"

He brushes me aside, a cocky grin splayed all over his face.

The newcomer runs toward him again, but this time, Cheng's attack and form of defense is to flip the boy over. His friends laugh at the boy, who is groaning from impact.

"Oh, God!" I yell.

Harry tries to negotiate with Cheng, but his attempts are in vain. Cheng directs him away, and I jog a little to stand at Harry's side. Cheng shoots Harry a jealous look.

"_What is his name_?" I ask.

"_Dre_," he answers.

"Please, Dre!" I say to the new boy. "Do not continue. This battle is not yours to win! You are too inexperienced in the art of fighting. You will undoubtedly lose!"

"_Save your breath, Meihui_," Cheng says. "_He's too focused on impressing Meiying to comprehend anything else_." He kicks Dre several times and punches his face twice.

Cheng kicks him again and throws Dre over his shoulder. He almost straddles Dre and punches him straight in the face, hard enough to leave a black eye, and a sickening thump is heard.

I run to Cheng and push him. "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

He looks at me, confused, but he backs down anyway. "Women," he mutters. "I will never understand them."

Meiying, Harry, and I crowd over Dre.

"Oh, dude," Harry murmurs.

"Are you okay? Let me see," Meiying says.

"I am **so** sorry," I apologize. "He - I'll try to knock some sense into him later."

"I'm fine," Dre whimpers, his hand covering the part of his face that Cheng punched. "Please, just go away. Leave me alone!"

All three of us walk away, and the crowd of children that had accumulated now wander away, leaving Dre writhing on the ground in pain.

I walk over to Cheng and slap him. "_What's your problem_!" I demanded.

"_What? But you were the one who told me to stop him from distracting her_!"

"_I never __**told**__ you anything_!" I stalk off, by myself, all the way home.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

Cheng sneaks up behind me, hugging me. "_Soorrry. I hope you forgive me for yesterday_."

"_No_," I turn my head, walking away.

"_But -_!" He runs to catch up with me, since I take long strides. "_I - I didn't know_. _I'm sorry. When you got angry_, _so did I_. _But my anger issues_… _Well, you know how they are_…"

"Fine. I forgive you." I turn to face him. "Now give me a kiss."

Our lips meet and a beautiful moment of peace just settles in the air.

Cheng's friends pretend to puke and Meiying, who obviously has not forgiven Cheng glares and steps into the cafeteria.

I intertwine my arm with Cheng's and we follow her.

Cheng and I watch as Meiying shares a brief exchange of words with Dre and she leaves the room, probably heading to practice.

I watch as Cheng's anger flares up again and he stomps into the cafeteria. I follow nervously.

Cheng slams Dre's tray in the air. "Oooh, soooorry!" he teases.

"Come on, dude!" Dre shouts and pushes Cheng.

"Mr. Parker, stop it!" Mrs. Po, the principal yells. I grab Cheng's arm tightly.

Cheng defends himself indignantly in our native language, and Dre says firmly, "Whatever he is saying, he is lying!"

"Mr. Parker, go," Mrs. Po says, sending Dre out of the cafeteria. "Mr. Cheng, go."

Both boys walk opposite directions and I stand there by myself in the middle of the room. Cheng looks at me and attempts a smile, but a look of disgust is on my face.

I turn and walk out in the direction Dre left. I do not have to look to tell that Cheng looks dismayed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Karate Kid: From the Other Side**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

-_italics_- Also flashbacks

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

"Hey," I call to Dre as soon as I catch up.

"Oh," he says. "You."

"Yeah. I'm so, so sorry about Cheng." I hang my head down.

"What's your name, again?" he asks.

I feel like an idiot for not introducing myself. "Oh, I'm Meihui."

"Is Cheng your boyfriend or something?" he says blatantly.

"Yeah," I say. I've answered the question so many times I no longer get flustered or feel ashamed. "For a while, actually."

"What's his problem?" Dre groans.

"Well, from what I heard, my father's pressuring him to join a competition." 

"From what you heard?" Dre asks.

"Yeah. My father wants me to live in a separate building. Ever since I'd betrayed him, at least. But that's not the point. Cheng is totally nervous about the whole tournament."

"So I'm just a practice dummy to him?" Dre demands.

"Umm, maybe?" I ask.

"Oh. Well, I'll see you later," he says in a sulking manner, walking away to class.

I walk to mine as soon as he gets out of sight.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

"Hey," I smile at Dre when I see him outside the music hall. "You here to listen to Meiying too?"

"It's Meiying playing? Wow," Dre laughs. "I thought it was a professional. Aren't you supposed to be with the jerkwad?"

"Cheng and I… We have our, ah, creative differences," I tell him. "I said to Cheng that I spent too much time with him and was starting to hate him. He replied saying he was just thinking the same, so we split up for the day. It, unfortunately, is not an official split."

"If you wanna leave him, then just do so. It's just one word: No," Dre protests.

"I can't," I answer sadly. "He's been pressuring me. He doesn't know his master is my father, and he wants to know why I've been there at every lesson of his."

"It's because you live with your father and can't stay at home by yourself, right?"

"Clever boy," I grin. "Yeah. But I don't wanna tell him because I'm afraid he'll mock me. The girl who was once the most powerful force in Beijing, reduced to a simple schoolgirl. " 

"I don't think of you this way," Dre frowns.

I shrug. "Cheng's too rash. He's not like you."

I push the door to the music hall to hear Meiying's instructor telling her that they would have to work for the weekend and that he was going to call her father. I step in to the music hall, Dre trailing behind.

Dre says something in my native language, but I'm too drawn into the picture on the wall to comprehend what he just said.

"How was that?" he asks.

"Almost like a Chinese," she answers, laughing. "Hey, Meihui." Her face darkens. "Is he here with you?"

I shake my head. Dre and Meiying continue on talking about Meiying's upcoming audition for the Beijing Academy of Music. Seeing as they are too busy talking to each other and ignoring me, I leave.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

"_Sorry_," Cheng murmurs, leaning against my locker.

"_Look_," I begin, "_you cannot just come here every time you mess up_, _say_, '_**Sorry**_,' _and just get away with everything_! _You've disappointed me so many times_!"

"_Whatever_, _I just want you to be my partner for the Forbidden City fieldtrip_." He puts on his special pouting look, the one he usually reserves for me.

"_No_," I say. "_I_'_m going to partner with Dre._"

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX ~On the bus~

"Hi, Dre," I smile as I seat myself beside him.

"'Sup, Meihui," he replied, returning the friendly grin.

"So, Cheng been giving you any grief lately?" I ask.

"Dah, nothin' I can't handle on my own," he shrugs.

"Are you sure?" I say uneasily. "Like, positive?"

"Yeah! I am toootally fine."

"Um, all right," I say and lean into the seat.

"Your crush on Meiying. Has it totally bloomed into something I can see just by looking at you?" I can tell I've hit the right spot, as he turns extremely red. I make the mistake of looking up, and see Cheng frowning, his brows furrowed.

"It's nothing…Why did you partner with me? And not…. What's-his-face?" Dre changes the subject suddenly, trying to swerve from the previously inevitable embarrassment of the original topic.

"I broke up with Cheng," I respond loudly, so that Cheng could hear from two rows in front of us. "I never really made it official, but now I'm sure. I want nothing to do with a boy would hurts others for his own amusement."

"That was… insightful," Dre laughs, but stops once he notices I'm not returning the jovial gesture.

"I… I used to be like him."

"I don't believe you." Dre twists his body to look at me. "You're not like that kind of person. You're kind, compassionate. You can distinguish right from wrong. Unlike your piece-of-crap ex-boyfriend."

"Thanks," I whisper, and hide under a veil of hair. "So, anxious to see the palace of the emperors? Not all of them inhabited the Forbidden City, but it's one of the most beautiful examples of architecture in China, aside from the Great Wall."

"Heck yea," Dre leans against his seat.

I peer over the top of the rows to look at Cheng, who's expression is that of an angered bull.

The bus stops, and I am glad that I chose not to partner with Cheng.

Dre and I get off the bus, and Meiying frowns at him.

We stop at the gates to the Forbidden City, marveling it's beauty. Dre and I look at the top. "I dare you to try to climb this thing," I tell him, and laugh.

"No way!" Dre answers, also laughing.

A hand appears out of nowhere, and puts Dre's hand on one of the golden pegs. I see Meiying, who gives me a glare. I take it as a sign to leave them, so I wander away.

Suddenly, my wrist is grasped painfully and I cry out. It is Cheng who holds me in a vice grip.

"_What do you want_?" I demand.

"_You_," he answers truthfully. "_What was that on the bus_? _Does everyone have to know of our deteriorating relationship_? _I think even Mrs_. _Po heard_!"

"_Good for her_," I reply, trying to wrench my arm free. "_And our relationship_?"

"_What of it_?" Cheng asks. "_Are we still_… _Destined to be together_?"

"_You said it was deteriorating_."

"_Correct_, _I did say that_."

"_It_'_s_ _not_."

"_So you forgive me_?"

"_No_. _Our relationship is now turned to dust_."

In his shock, he releases me, and I walk away to Dre.

Meiying looks sadly at me and Dre. "I wish someone would just…" she trails off.

"Yeah, I know," Dre intervenes.

She stares at the two of us. "Just tell someone."

"We've got it," I tell her, and she walks away to her partner, who put her hands on her hips and was looking at Meiying with a disapproving stare.


	3. Chapter 3

The Karate Kid: From the Other Side

Disclaimer: I don't own The Karate Kid. But I am anxious to see the sequel.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

Dre and I plod off the bus, and I wave goodbye to him. As soon as I turn around, I am grabbed roughly by the wrist. Though a normal person would be scared, I remember the calloused hand as if it were my own. "_Father_," I greet him, gritting my teeth.

"_Hm_," he replies, and proceeds to drag me all the way back home.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

Father waits for me to set my things down and changed into my t-shirt and pajama pants before giving me a stern look.

"_Stay here with your grandmother_," Father orders sternly and turns his back on me.

"_Wait_!" I say. "_Where are you going_?"

He glares at me, and I realize I have spoken out of turn. I barely have any time to brace myself for the impact of his blow to my face, and stumble back into my grandmother's arms. Tears blur my vision, and I faintly hear the door close as Father departs.

"_Why don't you go back up to your room_? _Take a nap_, _I_'_ll have dinner ready by the time you_'_ve_ _woken up_," Grandmother says gently.

I walk up the stairs and into my room. I practically leap on my bed and squish my pillow, allowing the tears I had so viciously tried to stop to start flowing. But it doesn't take long for me to drift off into a slumber.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

_I remember that I was cruel, vicious, mean. I hadn't known Cheng yet, but I'd already gotten a reputation as Beijing's most dangerous martial artist. It didn't surprise me that I didn't have any friends at all._

"_I like being alone," I said to myself quietly._

_Father only sneered in response._

_XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX_

_Two years later, I met Cheng, whom I'd then dubbed the love of my life._

"_Hi," he'd said to me. "I am Cheng."_

"_Meihui," I merely mumbled in response._

"_Why are you sitting here all alone?" he asked innocently. "I don't think it's very fun to be by myself."_

"_But I'm not like you," I snapped, curling myself into a ball, flushing at his closeness. "I like being by myself."_

"_Sure," he shrugged. "But I'll still bug you anyway."_

"_Why won't you just leave me alone?" I demanded, and now that I think back about it, rather harshly. _

"'_Cause I like you," Cheng said simply._

_I'd gotten even redder. Cheng _liked_ me._

_I probably would've fainted, had I not gained such an ego._

_But I was Meihui Li. I would never betray my father's code._

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

I had woken up, finishing my homework and other things. There was nothing to do.

"_I_'_m_ _going out_!" I call to my grandmother.

I go to Mr. Han's, repeating my father's code in my head.

Rule 1: Never show any emotion.

Rule 2: Don't show mercy. In life, in the studio, and everywhere else.

Rule 3: When someone cuts you down, take them with you.

Rule 4: Don't ever stop when the enemy is down.

Rule 5: Don't ever feel love.

I snort. Whoops, Dad. Forgot about number five. I find myself at Mr. Han's door. I open it, and gasp, "Dre!" upon seeing the said boy on the couch.

"_Ah_… _Meihui_," Mr. Han says to me. "_I think you_'_ve_ _come at a bad time_. _Come back later_." Dre must not have understood, but since Mr. Han had waved a dismissive hand at me, he must have gotten the hint.

"No," Dre says. "I want her to stay."

"But you're injured…," Mr. Han protests.

"I'll walk him home," I volunteer. "He lives in the apartment complex, right?"

"Yes," Han says simply.

"Well," I shift my gaze to Dre. "Ready?"

"Yep." He grabs his things and we depart.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

It's only a short walk, but we've already gotten to know each other so well. "And you seriously think that's supposed to impress me?" I giggle.

"No. But it sure was funny," Dre jokes.

"Sure."

"Well," Dre says, "here we are. My apartment."

"So… I'll see you around?" I say.

"Sure. See ya."

I wave to him one last time before turning and going home.

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

I sit at my desk, doodling on some random scratch paper I'd found. My anime-esque pictures stand out among my family's more realistic pictures, like those hung up on the walls.

The Li's were a family of artists, not fighters. But father ignored that completely, turning to Wushu martial arts instead of a canvas and clumps of paint.

I'd just drawn Dre in a chibi form, when someone knocks on the door. 

"_Enter_," I call out.

Father enters. "_Meihui_," he says. "_Do you know of a dark_-_skinned boy who just came from America_?"

"_Yes_…?" I answer.

"_I want you to stay away from him_. _He is a danger_. _And remember_, _stay away from that Han_, _do you hear_?" he snarls.

"…_Yes_," I reply. I'll disobey, of course, but he'll never know that.

"_Are you going to come with me to the studio tomorrow_?" father's tone turn gentler, like a that of a kind parent (or perhaps a creeper who just happens to try to gain a young child's trust), which is obviously what the man is not.

"_Yes_," I say. "_I_'_m_ _going_."

"_Okay_. _Go to sleep_. _It_'_s_ _nine o_'_clock_ _already_."

I nod and climb onto my bed. He exits, leaving me to regret my answer.

Why?

Because I would have to see Cheng again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Karate Kid: From the Other Side**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A.N.:** Holy pashkabokolee it's been a long time. xD My bad…

XXXXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

"_Are you all right_?" Cheng asks.

My legs had started aching again - presumably, the amount of walking the Forbidden City trip had weakened them somewhat.

I don't respond, simply keeping my eyes trained on my lap as I rest in my wheelchair. Father is still angry at me. Just as I look up, I see him slapping one of his students.

He begins his customary speech of reciting his code and belittling those he teaches and notices Cheng staring at something other than him - something his ego cannot ever take. "_What are you looking at_?" he says.

Cheng looks fearful. "_That's the man who attacked me_," he answers.

I look in the direction he was watching and see Dre and Mr. Han standing there.

Father turns and Mr. Han steps forward. The other students begin to focus on the two intruders, some slouching more than they would if Father was still watching.

"_We are here to make peace_," Mr. Han says.

"_Let your little thing mind himself_," Father sneers.

"_One to one_, _no problem_," Mr. Han replies, "_six to one_, _too much to ask of anyone_."

"_I see_…" Father answers. "_Prepare for match_!"

All of the students immediately sit down, leaving only Cheng standing. He edges toward the middle of the mat cockily. I sigh, rubbing my face at my father's solution to everything, which just so happens to be violence.

"_Whoa_," Dre says. "_Mr_. _Han_, _does he want us to fight_?"

Cheng cracks his knuckles and I try to stand to placate the matter, but a sharp pain shoots up my legs, causing me to collapse back into the wheelchair. Cheng looks over momentarily, slightly concerned. Father doesn't notice, or seem too worried.

"_We are not here to fight_," Mr. Han says, and he turns to leave, Dre trailing behind.

Father chases after him, walking in synchronization, though his footsteps are noticeably more angry. "You attack my students and disrespect my studio?!" he says.

I wheel myself over to Cheng, tugging on his sleeve lightly.

"_What_?" he whispers.

"_Don_'_t_ _fight_," I tell him. "_None of this is worth it_."

He gives a derisive snort.

"_You want to leave_? _Not so easy_," Father says to Mr. Han, placing a hand on the other man's chest to keep him from moving forward.

Mr. Han stops, looking at Father, and Dre adopts a weary look on his face. Mr. Han begins to push Father's hand away. "_Master Li_…"

Father grabs his hand menacingly, and Mr. Han grips Dre's forearm. I look over, alarmed at the sudden use of force.

"_You both came here_. _One of you fights now_," Father hisses.

I move my hands to the wheels of my chair so I can push myself over to them, but find that Cheng is already pushing me forward. I look over at him to find an impassive look on his face. He returns to his spot on the mat when I am in front of Father, seeming unnoticed.

"_Father_, _none of this has to_ -," I begin.

He sharply glares at me, and if looks could kill I would have died a thousand times over.

I gulped, slightly edging backwards.

Mr. Han notices something on the billboard. "_The boy will fight there_," he says, with a motion of his chin.

Father and I look over, and see the poster to the Open Kung Fu Tournament. Father turns back and begins to chuckle, a sound I have learned to dread, and releases Mr. Han, who in turn releases Dre. Dre rubs his arm.

"_We accept your challenge_," Father says. His smile is sinister and I don't believe that anyone will escape out of this feud unscathed - especially not Dre.

"_Please instruct your students to leave my boy alone to train_," Mr. Han says softly.

"Attention!" Father barks. "_From now on_, _this little thing is to be left alone until the tournament_. _Understood_?"

The students yell back an affirmative.

"_If he does not show up for the competition_," Father sneers at Mr. Han, "_I will bring pain to him and you_."

Although I doubt Father could seriously harm Mr. Han, he might be able to catch Dre alone and vulnerable, and I don't want to see my friend hurt. The two leave, and I almost want to chase after them

I reach over and grab Father's arm. "_Father_…" I say.

He glares at me, and I almost choke on my words.

"_How_… _How about I spy on them_? _Mr_. _Han was my friend once_, _perhaps he will let me help train the boy and I can_… _Help you win the tournament_…" I suggest. It's an obvious lie, and anyone who truly knows me would understand that this was a fib that would allow me to spend more time with Mr. Han and Dre to work against my father, but since the man hardly ever tries to even look at me, he does not catch my deceit.

"_As if I need your help_," he snorts. "_But very well_. _Do what you must_. _Every advantage counts if we are to pulverize them._"

He returns to the lesson, and after he finishes, Cheng walks over to me, wheeling me out of the building. "_So_, _you_'_re_ _planning to work against me_?" he murmurs.

I shrug. "_He deserves a chance_."

Cheng stops in front of Father's car. "_I sincerely doubt a girl in a wheelchair will be able to do much help_." I'm about to snap back by speaking of my previous fighting, but I remember that Cheng doesn't know and that I never want him to.

"_I don_'_t_ _think a cocky boy with more anger issues than Bruce Banner would stand a chance_," I retort instead.

Cheng's smirk disappears, anger evident in his eyes. "_See you around_," he says, and walks away.


End file.
